The Weekend Reset: Bread, Board Games, and Battlestar Galactica

May 8, 2020 By Michael R| Heads up: Buying via our links may result in us getting a commission. Also, we take your privacy rights seriously. Head here to learn more.

It’s Friday. Looking for something to switch up your weekend, or to give you an excuse to relax a little? That’s what the Weekend Reset is for. Each week we’ll pull together five things to get your weekend started. Could be something to read or watch, something to eat or listen to, or even something to do. Enjoy the weekend fellas.

Remember a few weeks back, when we featured sourdough starter on the Weekend Reset? Guess what, gents. Them yeast and them bacteria? They ready. If you’re baking your first loaf, I recommend starting out with King Arthur Flour’s No Knead Sourdough, which is both incredibly simple yet very tasty. When you’re ready to try something more involved? The Tartine recipe is the go to. (The photo above is of my second Tartine-style loaf — and only the fourth overall loaf of sourdough I’ve baked. I’m a novice at this too!) Note: for the Tartine recipe, dough temperature is really important. During the first 3 hour rise, whenever you fold the dough, I recommend using an instant read thermometer to ensure the dough is between 70 and 82 degrees. If it’s too hot, throw it in the freezer for a bit; too cold, you can heat a mug of water in your microwave and let the dough rise in there with the hot water for a little bit. No sourdough starter? There are a million other ways to make wonderful, yeasted bread — or quickbreads, if you don’t have yeast.

I fell in love with José Andrés around a year ago, when I heard him talk about scuba diving with hammerhead sharks on Milk Street Radio, one of my favorite food podcasts; I’ve been obsessed with Andrés ever since. This was before I understood the scope of his work feeding those in need with the World Central Kitchen. The above video — of him teaching Jimmy Fallon how to make fried rice, over video chat — is the perfect encapsulation of his larger-than-life personality and his empathy and human generosity. His optimism is infectious — every time I watch this, it puts a smile on my face.

You and four companions crash-land in the middle of the dessert. Your zeppelin is totaled, there’s only a few gallons of water, and, oh shoot, a standstorm is blowing in! Your job: find the parts for your Zeppelin and get it working again before you die of thirst. Forbidden Desert is a fantastic and challenging co-op game for up to five people, in the mode of games like Pandemic or Spirit Island. The fast, cooperative gameplay is perfect if you’ve got an hour or so to kill on a Saturday night. And because it’s a co-op game, it works nicely over Zoom, so long as you keep a camera on the board.

With news that a new reboot of this iconic franchise is in development, now is a great time to visit the 2004-2009 version of Battlestar Galactica. You might think: this is not for me. I don’t like “space opera.” But I urge you: give it a try. What you’ll find is a character drama with epic scope, a political allegory, a thriller, & a love story, with plot twists that are absolutely insane. This is a show that people BINGED, hard, way back in the DVD era, a show famous for being really, really addictive. Just be warned: once you start watching this, it’s all you’re going to want to do.

TACKLE: That big project.

I have a confession to make. I’ve owned my chef’s knife for over five years — and I’ve never gotten it sharpened. Not once. This weekend? That changes. After years of putting off the project, I’ve finally ordered some whetstones, watched a bunch of tutorials, and will carve out an hour or so on Saturday (see what I did there!?) to sharpen all of my kitchen knives. Is there a project you’ve been meaning to tackle that you’ve never never gotten around to? A treehouse you’ve always wanted to build, a vegetable garden you’ve always wanted to plant, a room you always wanted to paint, a closet you’ve always wanted to organize, flowers you’ve always wanted to grow in your front yard? Why not set aside some time this weekend to dive in? (Friendly reminder, gents: Sunday is Mother’s Day. You know who might appreciate a new flower garden? Your mom — or the mother of your children.)

About the author: Michael Robin is an LA-based television writer. When he’s not working away on his latest pilot script, you can find him scuba diving, hosting Shabbat dinners, or goofing off with his goldendoodle, Biggie Lebowski.